1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the removable addition of sound pick up and amplification to strings and in particular kite strings that are under varying tensions and have varying vibrations.
2. Description of the Related Art
A number of devices exist for creating sound while flying a kite. In all of these devices sound is created by a feature added to the functional structure of the kite. U.S. Pat. No. 4,752,051, issued to Chang on Jun. 21, 1988, discloses a rotating device that creates sound. The device is intended to be attached to a kite string. When the device is in operation, air flow causes a windsail to rotate, which in turn rotates a plucking device that strikes a spring to make a clicking sound. This device is attached to the kite string by cutting the string and tying either end to either side of the device, which makes attaching and removing the device inconvenient. Use of this device also requires that it be attached to the string prior to launching the kite.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,634,085, issued to Cuesta et al. on Jan. 6, 1987, discloses a kite structure that incorporates a device with the sole purpose of creating sound. This device mounted on the body of the kite uses a flexible strap that vibrates in the air to create a sound. This device is intended to be a permanent feature of the kite and thus would not be easy to remove or install.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,800,293, issued to Kindelberger et al. on May 4, 1954, discloses a propeller to be mounted on a kite to help control the kite as well as create sound. Air passing through openings in the rotating propeller blades creates a buzzing sound. The propeller is intended to be a permanent feature of the kite and has to be mounted on the body of the kite before the kite is airborne. U.S. Pat. No. 4,336,915, issued to Stoecklin et al. on Jun. 29, 1982, also discloses a kite structure that incorporates a rotating device mounted on the body of the kite. In this patent whistles attached to the blades of the rotating device create sounds as air passes through them.
Other devices intended to be attached to kite strings exist in the prior art. U.S. Pat. No. 4,842,222, issued to Baird on Jun. 27, 1989, discloses a device that enables kites to carry loads upwards for release. One part of this device is fixedly attached to a kite string. The device and the load must be attached to the string before the kite is airborne. U.S. Pat. No. 3,583,662, issued to Bury on Jun. 8, 1971, discloses another device that enables kites to carry loads upwards for release. All of the described embodiments of this device have at least one part that is fixedly attached to the kite string and must be attached before the kite is airborne. Neither of these two devices creates or amplifies sound.
In the present invention, the sound to be picked up and amplified is that created by the vibrations of a string under tension. When used on a kite string, the apparatus picks up and amplifies the sound created by the vibrations of the kite string caused by the wind.
The known devices for creating sound while flying a kite are either permanent features of the kite itself or attached to the string in a way that damages the string and makes removal difficult. None of the devices in the prior art are easily attached and removed. It would be an improvement on the current art to create an apparatus for the pick up and amplification of sounds created by the vibrations of a string that can be easily attached and removed from any string. The present invention discloses an apparatus that can be easily and quickly attached to a string, and just as easily and quickly removed. The apparatus can be attached to a string while it is under tension during kite flying or before the kite is airborne while the string is not under tension.
None of the devices in the prior art allow the user to disable the sound creating function without removing the device from the kite or the string. It would be an improvement on the current art to create an apparatus that would allow a user to disable the sound creating function while the apparatus remains attached to a string under tension.